State wrestling: Patience is a virtue for KMS junior

Mar. 1—ST. PAUL — Jett Olson wasn't going to rush into anything against Jevon Williams.

The Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg junior knows Williams' talent. The Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City senior beat Olson by a 9-5 decision in the Section 5A championship. And, Williams entered the Class A state individual wrestling tournament undefeated at 29-0 and the top seed at Class A 160 pounds.

The two met again in the quarterfinals Friday at the Xcel Energy Center with Williams as the top seed in the bracket.

"He's a strong kid and you can see he gets in the weight room," Olson said of Williams. "I just knew I had to work as hard as I could and give it everything I had."

Even while down 3-1 through two periods, Olson stayed patient. It paid off in the third period.

Starting from bottom position, Olson got a reversal on Williams and bided his time to get points.

"I just turned him over and I had to be patient and keep him there," Olson said. "I sat there and re-adjusted and had to hold him there and get him flat."

Eventually, Olson pulled the upset with a fall in 5 minutes, 22 seconds. Olson is one of 10 area wrestlers to make the championship semifinals. Forty area athletes competed across the three classes Friday.

"I was just listening to my coaches' words and they were telling me to be patient, keep it close and give myself a chance at the end," Olson said. "I knew I was going to be in good condition to go into it and give it everything I had because I had nothing to lose."

Olson faces Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie's David Revering in the semifinals Saturday.

At the section championship, KMS head coach Trevor Mahlum saw a nervous Olson take the mat against Williams. But on that day, he built the confidence he could wrestle with the state's best. They got to work the following Monday.

"He was nervous in the section finals, then he had to come back and win a true-second match," Mahlum said. "But today he was ready to wrestle. He knew what he had to do and he was ready."

Olson added, "It feels great I can give it everything I have and I can compete with everyone in the state."

Olson's Fighting Saints teammate Trey Gunderson is also in the semifinals. A state champion as an eighth-grader two seasons ago and a third-place finisher last season, Gunderson made the 133A semifinals.

Defending state champion Maximus Hanson of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa is one of three Jaguars to reach the semis. Hanson made it in the 172 bracket. He'll be joined in the semis by Ryan Jensen at 139 and Carson Gilbert at 215.

Paynesville junior Peyton Hemmesch is in the semifinals at 189A.

Cavin Carlson also avenged a previous loss.

Back at the MatBoss Minnesota Christmas Tournament, Carlson lost a 6-5 decision to St. Michael-Albertville's Gavin Jackson. Carlson admits that he didn't wrestle his best on that December day.

Now, at the state tournament, Carlson came back from a first-period deficit to beat Jackson by a 7-4 decision to reach the semis in the 133AAA bracket. The Cardinals had an area-high seven wrestlers at state, with Carlson being the lone Willmar wrestler in the hunt for a championship.

"My main goal is to go out there, score points, have fun and put on a show," Carlson said. "These people come here to watch me and I want to make it enjoyable for them. You score 10, 15 points, it's hard to lose when you score that many points. That's my goal, to go in, score points and have fun."

Points in bunches weren't going to happen against Jackson as Carlson fell into an early hole.

"That first period, I got taken down right away," Cavin said. "Classic Carlson trait: give up the first takedown."

A three-point near-fall in the second period helped Cavin tie the match at 4-4 heading into the third. Starting from the bottom, Carlson was confident he could come away with the victory.

"That's really reassuring that it's tied going into that third period and it's my choice," Cavin said. "I know I can get away."

Cavin will get one more chance to avenge a previous loss. He'll face Albert Lea's Michael Olson in the semis. Olson pinned Cavin at the Rumble on the Red.

"It'll be a tough match; he's a tough kid," Carlson said of Olson. "He'll hand-fight hard. He's going to make it a battle. I gotta go in there and fight, keep wrestling and make it to the third period. I know he's got a gas tank but I know I have a really good gas tank, too, and I think the more we wrestle, the better off it is for me."

Dan Gunlogson found himself in a precarious position.

The Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley/Montevideo senior entered state 49-0. But that was only good for the fourth seed in the 139AA bracket.

The top seed went to three-time state champion Jack Nelson of Mound-Westonka. The second seed is Becker's Kaden Nicolas, who is a two-time runner-up. The third seed is Totino-Grace's Ethan Sylvester, who is a four-time state entrant who took fourth last season.

"I was a little disappointed but it was to be expected," Gunlogson said of his seeding. "The other guys above me have placed highly in years past.

"It is what it is and at the end of the day you gotta wrestle 'em anyways."

Gunlogson opened the individual tournament strong with a 10-0 major decision against South St. Paul's Sinko Vukas. Then he won a 5-3 decision against Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted's Tony Baumann to reach the semis.

"I feel good, I'm excited (and) I think I've wrestled well," Gunlogson said. "It's my last hurrah, just doing what I can to put on a show and have fun."

The top four seeds all advanced in the bracket. Nelson awaits Gunlogson in the semis.

"That's the point of coming to state; you wrestle the best and see who's the best," Gunlogson said. "It's what I expected, it's what I wanted, it's what I trained for all year. I'm here to enjoy it."

United's heavyweight, Brady Rhode, made the 285AA semifinals. Minnewaska freshman Miles Wildman is also in the semis at 114AA.

Class AAA